Paris Trilogy
by MarigoldMusings
Summary: Tuckson in Paris. Inspired by the season finale.
1. Chapter 1

_Ok, here goes. With #Tuckson being canon and such a sweet finale ending, posting this makes me a little anxious. Thanks to bm89 for the consultation work! Here goes…hope it doesn't disappoint._

 _ **Paris: The first days**_

Ed, as usual, awoke early and surreptitiously slid out of bed so as to not wake Olivia. He did pause for a few seconds to gaze down at her, and his body and ego swelled with satisfaction. She slept peacefully ensconced in the covers, and the corners of her mouth turned up just a little as if she were in the middle of the most pleasant dream. This was their second full day in Paris, and already, she looked refreshed. Her face had come back to life, the rosy hue returned to her cheeks, and Ed was sure, from the moment they took their seats on the plane, he'd seen that unrestrained, joyful Benson smile more than he'd seen it in all the years he'd known her.

Resisting the urge to climb back into bed and wrap his arms around her, he instead went to the suite's parlor where Noah was camped out on the sofa bed. He was awake, but just barely with his eyes half-open and his arms clutching Bernie. Ed booked a late night flight so Noah's sleep wasn't too disrupted, and, of the three of them, the little boy was the least affected by jet lag. He slept most of the flight, and when he wasn't snoozing he was easily occupied by the on-board movies and video games. When Tucker told Cole about the trip, the sergeant balked at their decision to take Noah without the assistance of a babysitter, and even Olivia wondered if they should at least bring Lucy; however, Ed insisted the three of them go on their own. He didn't want any intrusions. So far, Noah was perfect, and the family-friendly hotel offered babysitting which they would probably take advantage of for at least one evening.

Ed started coffee then opened the balcony doors to let in the cool morning air. Outside, the perfectly blue sky was interrupted only sporadically by a few non-threatening cumulus clouds. The balcony was large enough for a café table and three chairs, as well as two small chaise lounges, and the view was spectacular—Parisian rooftops, cathedral spires, and, in the distance, the Eiffel Tower. Ed couldn't believe his luck; the trip was slightly last-minute and room selection was limited. He wasn't expecting something this impressive.

"Ed?" Noah's voice was strained as he struggled to extract himself from the plush mattress.

Tucker picked him up, kissed his cheek, and whispered, "Good morning, bud."

Still groggy, Noah buried his face in the older man's neck and mumbled something that sounded like "good morning." Ed grabbed the child-sized slippers emblazoned with the hotel's crest and slipped them on Noah's bare feet. "Let's go out and look at the breakfast menu while mommy's still sleeping," he said to Noah who assented by wrapping his arms more tightly around Ed's neck. They sat in one of the lounges and perused the room service menu. Noah pointed to almost every brightly colored picture—fruit platters, pastries, croissants, crepes, traditional American-style eggs and toast, elaborately garnished juices and coffees, and a ridiculously large Belgian waffle with whipped cream and strawberries.

"I want _that_ ," Noah said, suddenly wide awake.

"We'll check with mommy." Olivia wasn't too picky about what Noah ate, but he wasn't sure she would go for a spare-tire-sized waffle.

"After breakfast, we're going to a place with a playground that has a train you can climb in. And we'll sail a boat in the pond."

"I ride on the train?"

"No, you don't ride on it. You can just pretend to drive it. We'll ride on the big train later this week."

Noah climbed up into a standing position and started pointing at various spots in the landscape.

"What's that?"

"A church."

"What's that?"

"Looks like apartments, like where we live in New York."

"What's that?"

"The Eiffel Tower."

"Tower?

"Yep, tomorrow night we'll go to the top." Ed had been advised to purchase advance tickets to certain attractions like the tower and the Louvre. They were also going on two day trips, one to Versailles and the other to Disneyland Paris; otherwise, they planned to meander around the city, hitting the sights on their list at a leisurely pace. The last thing Ed wanted was to further burden Olivia with the exhaustion of packing too much sightseeing into each day.

"Coffee's ready." Olivia, wrapped in a white terry robe, joined them on the balcony. She handed one cup to Ed and took a seat on the other lounge. She had swept her hair up into a messy ponytail and her face looked freshly washed. She gazed at the cityscape, and the sight of her in profile was too much for Ed.

He tugged at her sleeve, "C'mere."

She smiled at him and leaned over for a kiss. She opened her eyes while their lips were still locked and softly said, "Hi, there."

He lingered close to her, breathing in the scent of the soap she'd used. It was something scented with orange, or maybe lemon, but not overpowering, subtle, and he didn't want her to leave his side. "Come over here with me."

She snuggled next to him, on her side, and rested her head on his chest. Noah was still peering through the slats and he sporadically narrated the movements of the people below.

"Ed, this place…it's so…extravagant. It's almost too much."

It was extravagant, but it wasn't too much. Ed wanted the trip to go off without a hitch, and he knew they needed a home base that was comfortable, since, with Noah, they would have to have frequent breaks throughout the day. "You deserve it," he said, "And, besides, I don't know about you, but I haven't had a _real_ vacation in years."

"Me neither."

"So, let's be extravagant."

"Ok." Olivia kissed his cheek. "They even put special shampoo and soaps in the bathroom for Noah—and the slippers and the robe. How did they know we were bringing a boy?"

"They emailed me."

"Wow." She looked into his eyes and kissed him again, "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome." He brushed back a few loose strands and kissed her forehead. Ed took care of all travel arrangements in order to leave Olivia completely relaxed and unbothered by logistics. They made their "to do" list together with the help of various websites and travel books, but other than that, Ed booked the flight and hotel, got the advance tickets, made sure they had transportation from the airport to the hotel, and he even arranged for private cars to take them on their two day trips. Olivia initially objected, but Ed held firm. "I'm doing this, Liv," he told her, "Just pack the bags."

Noah brought the breakfast menu to Olivia. "Waffle, mommy?"

Ed laughed a little as Noah shoved the laminated page in her face. "I was waiting for you to get up before we ordered."

"Speaking of over the top," Olivia muttered good-naturedly. "But…why not? We're going big, right?"

"Right," Ed said and then tickled Noah's belly, "Right, No?"

"Right!" He collapsed in giggles on Ed's other side before being hoisted onto his chest. There they remained for several minutes before calling in the breakfast order—the three of them piled on the chaise, Ed practically buried by the other two, the city streets slowly coming to life below them, and when Ed and Olivia looked at one another, it was with the understanding that there was nowhere else in the world they would rather be.

…..

As soon as they entered Luxembourg Gardens, Noah immediately caught sight of the playground. It was a massive structure with areas cordoned off by age. For older kids there were ropes courses, trampolines, steep slides, and intricate climbing structures. The little ones could busy themselves on smaller slides, mini seesaws, and, of course, the wooden train. Although he was anxious to get in, once Ed paid the fee and they were inside the gates, Noah froze, unsure where to go first.

"We'll follow you, sweet boy," Olivia encouraged.

Ed smiled down at him and then nudged Olivia, "He's a little overwhelmed."

"I know," she replied, "I thought DeWitt Clinton had a nice playground, but this…this is amazing."

Noah first made his way over to the zip line and gawked as bigger kids fearlessly jumped off the platform and took off in the figure eight pattern. Noah jumped up and down with delight. "Whoa!" He exclaimed and looked hopefully up at Olivia.

"No, sorry, this one's for big kids, sweetheart. There are other swings, though, over there."

Ed and Olivia took turns pushing Noah on the swings while the other snapped photos. After swinging, Noah climbed in and out of each wooden train car, shared a seesaw with another boy, and took several runs down the toddler slides. At one point Ed had to disentangle him from a rope bridge, but Noah was giggling uncontrollably the entire time, which made Ed crack up as he threaded his legs out of the ropes and onto the slatted part of the bridge. Olivia snapped away until Noah was finally freed and propelled himself down the tunnel slide.

After a short-lived mini-tantrum and some significant cajoling, the three of them left the playground hand-in-hand and followed the winding paths towards the pond and the palace. They stopped to take photos in front of statues and the impeccably manicured flowers, and then Ed and Olivia let Noah wrestle himself away from them to run ahead on the lush green lawn. Some older kids were playing soccer nearby and he was content for a while to watch until several kites appeared in the sky overhead and he ran back and forth, tracing their flight. Winded and thirsty, he walked over to the nearby bench where Olivia and Ed were sitting.

"A lot going on, huh, bud?"

Noah pointed to the sky, "What's that?"

"Kites."

"Kites," he repeated, liking the sound of the word. "Kites," he said again.

"We'll get you one," Ed promised.

Olivia glanced at him, fascinated by how willingly her boyfriend incorporated Noah into the Parisian experience. Every time something previously unseen fascinated Noah, Ed was quick to either buy it or guarantee he would procure it in the future. Noah sipped on a water bottle and lay with his head in Olivia's lap and his legs on Ed so he could easily take in the entirety of the kite-filled sky.

"Which one do you like best?" Olivia asked.

"Red one," he answered.

"It's beautiful here," Olivia said as she took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet spring air.

Ed put his arm around her shoulders, "It dates from the sixteen hundreds. At least a hundred statues—French queens and famous women, among others of course. And we have to see the Medici Fountain before we leave. Oh, and somewhere," he fumbled for the map, "there's the original prototype for the Statue of Liberty."

Olivia, fascinated by his background knowledge, grinned at Ed.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"How do you know all this?"

"I read it in the book on the plane."

" _Wow_. Impressive."

She really did sound impressed, so Ed went on, "The palace is modeled after one in Florence, because Marie Medici, who commissioned it, was from there. The same thing with the fountain. Interesting, these royal families, intermarrying like that, consolidating power."

"You have to wonder if they really loved each other," Olivia mused.

"I can't imagine," Ed fidgeted a little, a tad nervous, "things happening in reverse like that, arranged marriages, the love part comes later...or never."

"What a terrible way to live…royal children used as pawns, really."

"And to have to…try and manufacture emotions that aren't there."

Careful not to knock Noah to the ground, Olivia moved closer to Ed, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. "We certainly don't have that problem," she said sweetly, staring into his baby blue eyes. "I love you more every day."

"Me too," he whispered and kissed her back, holding her to him for longer and more tightly so that Noah was getting awkwardly folded between them.

"Ahhh! Mommy! Ed!" Noah squirmed in their laps, trying to get loose.

"Sorry baby boy!"

Ed wiped his lips with his fingers and addressed Noah. "You ready to go to the sailboats?"

"Uh-huh."

Ed deftly put the boy on his shoulders. "Maybe we'll get the one with the pirate flag, huh?"

"Yeah! Pirate ship!"

"How do you know—" Olivia stopped herself, realizing she knew the answer to the question of how Ed knew there was a pirate ship available.

 _He read the book on the plane._

She slid an arm around Ed's waist and leaned into him as they made their way to the pond where dozens of children and their families were hunched over the edge guiding handmade wooden sailboats across the water.

….

After leaving the gardens, Ed-the-tour-guide led the way to Rue Mouffetard, part of which was a cobblestone street dating all the way back to Ancient Rome. They sampled cheese, cakes, and ice cream from the variety of shops and then settled in at an outdoor café for wine and a croque monsieur, the classic French hot ham and cheese sandwich. Midway through their meal, an elderly couple who had just finished their own lunch stopped briefly and smiled down at them.

"Beautiful Family," the man said in heavily accented English. "Just beautiful."

Ed smiled and nodded, and Olivia responded with a raspy, "Merci," because the compliment nearly brought her to tears.

Noah, mimicking his mom, unknowingly put her over the emotional edge after he voiced his own "Merci." As the older couple ambled away, Olivia dabbed at her eyes with the cloth napkin.

Ed reached over and squeezed her leg just above the knee. "You ok?"

"Of course," she pulled herself together quickly and put the napkin back in her lap, "that was just…so… _nice_."

"It was." Ed leaned over and kissed her cheek. "And, Noah, good French, bud! Or, _Bon Francais_?" He looked at Olivia for approval since she was more competent in the language than he was.

"Trés bien," she replied.

"And, with that, I think I've exhausted my French vocabulary," Ed sighed resolutely, "But…Noah…don't kids pick up languages more quickly than anyone?"

"They do. When it's time to put him in pre-K, we should look for a program that also has Spanish or French." Olivia had collected herself and was back to normal now. Her voice steadied and she reclined against the backrest, contentedly finishing her wine and people watching.

Ed, on the other hand, was analyzing what she just said.

 _We should get him into a program that offers Spanish or French._

 _We?_

 _What was that? A slip? Or not?_

 _Noah's pre-K days were two years away. Did that "we" indicate she was expecting something more permanent? Did she already suspect something was up? Had she somehow seen it?_

He took two simultaneous sips of wine to occupy himself as he thought and then finished the final piece of his sandwich. Across from him, Noah was playing with the Paris police car replica they'd purchased along the way. Olivia was still placidly taking in the scenery.

It was probably…he didn't know what it was, but he was afraid to ask. Now wasn't the time, so he let it go.

"Back to the hotel for a bit and then Arc du Triomphe?" He suggested, hoping there was no anxiety in his voice.

Olivia smiled at him, "Sounds like a plan."

Ed examined the check and placed some euros on the table, securing them with a water glass. Noah was asking to be picked up, so he hoisted him on his shoulders again, soaking up the comfort of the little hands gripping the sides of his head. The trio made a few turns to get to a main street and caught a taxi back to the hotel.

…

Noah was snoozing by the time they entered the suite, so Ed put him in the oversized armchair and covered him with a blanket. Olivia stowed their shopping bags in the bedroom and was emerging from the bathroom when Ed came in, sliding the pocket door closed behind him.

"He's out." The report sounded more like, _It's time for us to have some alone time._

Olivia smiled slyly, "He'll sleep for a while. We had a busy morning."

"Yeah, so…"

She was in his arms in an instant, and, as usual, feeling the strength of his embrace, she melted into him. In intimate moments like this, not only did she feel safe, any negative thoughts vacated her mind and instead it filled with a type of euphoria previously unfamiliar to her. Any semblance of tension left her body, and she was almost limp in his arms.

Ed felt this physiological change. He was used to it, and he relished knowing his body could cause complete relaxation in hers. As he kissed her deeply, she maneuvered her hands under his shirt and massaged her fingers into his back, wanting him closer, requesting more of him. Their clothes ended up in one messy heap and they fell onto the bed, tenderly making love, as the late afternoon Parisian breeze wafted in from the open window.

Afterwards, sated, they lay facing one another, propped on their elbows and covered by a single sheet, trading kisses and sweet chatter.

"Thank you for bringing us here," Olivia rasped, still trying to breathe normally.

Ed played with her hair and then ran his thumb over her lips, "Are you happy?"

"I feel like I felt…the day Noah's adoption was final. Almost like I'm floating."

"Good."

"This is exactly what I needed."

"And we're just getting started," he pointed out.

"You worked so hard to make this perfect," Olivia complimented him, "I love you, Ed."

"You deserve it. This year…" Ed hesitated, not wanting to bring any dark thoughts into the moment, "I told you before, I don't know how you got through it…you're so strong…it's remarkable."

Olivia swallowed, "I had to be strong for Noah. But… _you_ being there for me…I couldn't have dealt with everything without you there."

"You were there for me, too," Ed thought about the church scandal and nearly being forced into early retirement, "you believed me when no one else did."

"They don't know you like I do. You're the person I trust most in the world."

Ed closed his eyes. A statement like that coming from Olivia was almost too precious to be real. "I trust you…and I love you, Liv, so much, this, the three of us…I feel like I have this whole new life."

"Me too."

Ed kissed her and was almost back on top of her when he heard something and paused. "Speaking of the _three_ of us. I think someone's awake."

Olivia checked the time. "Why don't we take him swimming? You wanted to be at the top of the Arc at sunset, right? We have a couple hours."

"Ok."

"Mommy?"

At the sound of Noah's sleepy voice, Olivia jumped out of bed and pulled on the terry robe. "Are you getting up?" She asked Ed who was flat on his back with his arms clasped behind his head.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm just…I like watching you move."

She cast her eyes down bashfully. "Captain, are you flirting with me?" She teased.

"Maybe a little."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly at him and opened the pocket door. From his vantage point, Ed could see her lift Noah from the chair and hold him close. Olivia must have whispered to him that they were going swimming, because the little boy's face lit up and Ed heard him say something along the lines of, "I jump in!"

…..

That night, after they'd done some evening sightseeing, eaten dinner, and put Noah to bed, Ed and Olivia cuddled together on the balcony and flipped through the pictures they'd taken over the past three days.

There were the selfies they'd taken on the airplane—some blurry and unusable and some hilarious, like the ones where Noah was hopelessly wedged between Ed and Olivia as they tried to squeeze all three faces in the frame.

Next there were the ones taken at baggage claim. These were mostly of Noah running around and climbing on their luggage.

Then came the hotel. Olivia smiled to herself as she remembered their collective reaction to the elegance of their temporary digs. She knew Ed had reserved a suite, but she had no idea it was at one of Paris' most elegant hotels. From the moment they entered the lobby, they were attended to by chivalrous bell boys and the most polite concierge clerks who offered to do anything and everything to make their stay enjoyable and memorable. The ladies cooed over Noah, especially when he returned their "Bonjours." The room was complete with a child-sized robe, sleeping shirt, and slippers, coloring books and crayons, and Bulgari Baby toiletries. Olivia photographed it all as it had been laid out for them.

Ed set the timer on the camera, and they took photos on the sofa and on the balcony. They laughed at the outtakes—silly, contorted faces, one of them trying to get Noah to look at the camera, caught in mid-laughter or mid-smile, but there were some keepers among them. It would be tough to decide on which photos to frame and which to keep digitally stored.

Notre Dame Cathedral was one of the first places they visited, and Ed took care to meticulously document the architecture, statues, and gargoyles. The three of them looked like themselves in miniature in front of the colossal medieval structure; Olivia's favorite was a picture of her holding Noah, and instead of looking forward, his neck was craned upward, mesmerized by the towering façade.

There were at least fifty shots of Noah at the Luxembourg Gardens playground, and Ed even snapped one of Noah whining and trying to wiggle out of Olivia's grasp after they announced it was time to move on.

" _Nice_ ," she remarked.

"Yeah, frame that one for sure," he joked.

"If that's the worst fit we have on the trip, I'll take it," Olivia said.

"And that was kind of our fault," Ed admitted, "What kid would want to leave that playground?"

"Right." Olivia continued flipping until she got to one with Noah and Ed and the sailboats. Ed's hand steadied Noah as he reached over into the pond with a large stick the children used to redirect the boats away from the edge. All around the pond and fountain, kids chased their boats, sticks in hand, in an effort to keep them sailing. "Your face here…" she mused, not having intended to say the words aloud.

Ed zoomed in. "What about it?"

Olivia felt herself choking up yet again, "So much…affection."

"I love his mother _and_ him. Equally."

After a break for a glass of wine and a few kisses, they resumed the slide show. Still on the set from the gardens, Olivia had trouble keeping her eyes dry as she saw the three of them posed so comfortably by the fountain. In one, Olivia and Ed sat on the edge with Noah, smiling broadly, standing in front of them, one elbow on Ed's knee and the other on Olivia's with the Pirate ship by his side. _We look so…together_ , she thought. It was shortly after that moment when the elderly couple complimented their beautiful family at the café.

 _Maybe this was something more permanent._

"Where are the ones from the pool?" Ed asked.

"On my phone. Here," Olivia reached over and grabbed her iPhone. Most of the shots were of the boys—Ed catching Noah after he leapt from the edge and Ed wading around with Noah in his arms. There was also one of the three of them sitting together in the hot tub, looking cheerful, water beading on their shoulders.

The final photos were taken atop the Arc du Triomphe. Ed wanted to arrive as the sun was setting so they could get the best of both day and night views, and they finished climbing the stairs just in time. The aerial views were amazing—the Eiffel Tower, the broad, tree-lined avenues radiating from the Arc's center, the Seine, and the lit bridges.

"This one's my favorite, so far," Ed said softly, pausing to zoom in on another photo of them taken by a fellow tourist who snapped several shots in succession. In this one, which the photographer probably considered a throwaway, Olivia held Noah and they both gazed up at Ed, smiling, as he looked down proudly at them. It was taken just before they descended, so, in the distance, the city was lit up, slightly blurred, but their jubilant faces were in perfect focus.

"That one I really want in a frame," Olivia said.

"Yeah, me too."

Maybe it was the wine, but she felt a surge of confidence, "Do you think we need two?"

 _Uh-oh._ The question stymied Ed, so he skirted it, "Well, if I put it in my new office, yeah, we might need two."

"So content," Olivia observed, "Happy…what a great picture." Then she thought about the new office. _Ed was leaving IAB_. "Do you get offices at Hostage Negotiation?"

"A Captain will," he said confidently.

"You start when we get back?"

"Yep." Ed had vowed not to talk about the NYPD on vacation, but he did sort of start it by the office remark.

Olivia put the Nikon on the table and reached for Ed's hand, interlacing her fingers with his. "What you told me, about obsessing over cops lying to you…that's the whole reason you're leaving?"

"No, that's, I guess, the secondary reason," he said, "Being at IAB and you being at SVU, I don't want there to be so many conflicts of interest that One PP _makes_ one of us transfer. So _I_ made the decision to go the department of my choice rather than have the commissioner choose for me. And I can't imagine you in another command, so…" he trailed off.

His generosity and consideration overwhelmed her and she thanked him for what seemed like the hundredth time since they'd landed at Charles de Gaulle.

"All these years…our jobs…they kept us apart," Ed spoke softly, almost hesitantly, afraid of saying the wrong thing, "And then I felt so bad when you got dragged into the whole thing with Eugene. That's not going to happen again. Ever. I know it's unrealistic…to think everything will always be perfect…but I feel like…one potential problem is gone now."

"It is. And, you never know," Olivia said brightly, "This could always be perfect."

"I think, after this year, we can handle anything."

"Me too."

That clinched it for Ed. He was asking her. On this trip. The only question now was…when?

…..

 _#Tuckson # TucksoNoah_

 _Two more installments to come. I'm on vacation for a week starting Tuesday, but, I promise, they're on their way!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh, the Tuckson…Hopefully I haven't gone too OOC. Enjoy. Sorry it took so long to update._

 **Paris: The Middle Days**

Olivia unfurled the blanket, smoothed it along the edges, kicked off her shoes, and sat down. From their bag she pulled a baguette, wrapped meats and cheeses, a bag of grapes, and a bottle of wine. She watched as Ed caught up with a rambunctious Noah, spun him around in a 360, and airplaned him back to where Olivia set up their picnic dinner.

"Mama, Ed flyed me!"

"I saw, sweet Noah!"

Ed deposited him in her lap and Noah giggled in response to Olivia's tickles. As he leaned back, he caught sight of the illuminated Eiffel Tower, gasped, and pointed.

"We up there!"

"Yes, we were just up there. Wasn't it pretty?"

"Yahhhhhh!"

Ed took out the camera and showed Noah the pictures they'd just taken from the tower's observation deck.

Noah looked back and forth between the camera and the tower. "Whoa!" He gasped.

"I think he really liked it," Ed said, leaning back on his elbows. "And I did too. Spectacular. I'm glad we went at night. But we can go again during the day if you want."

Olivia broke off pieces of bread and cheese for Noah but didn't take her eyes off Ed. "It was gorgeous. Good call. And this," Olivia waved her hand around. Among them were couples and families doing the exact same thing. "Is—"

"Perfect?"

"We keep using that word, but, yes, it is perfect."

Ed acted like he was offended, "Do you want me to find a different word?"

"No." She leaned over for a kiss and he playfully bit at her bottom lip as she pulled away.

"Mama, I'm firsty!"

Olivia realized they forgot Noah's cup and they had nothing but wine.

"No problem," Ed said, "I'll go get a bottle of water."

He trotted off, leaving Olivia and Noah on the blanket. Olivia pulled Noah into her lap and spoke into his ear. "Just a few minutes, sweetheart, Ed's going to get you something to drink."

Noah just sank deeper into her lap and chewed a corner of the baguette.

"I love you, Noah," she cooed.

"Lubyou, Mommy."

"And Ed loves you, too."

"Yeah," he sighed knowingly, almost _too knowingly_ , as if he were emotionally way ahead of the adults. "We do sailboats again?"

"Maybe. We're going on a real boat tomorrow. On the river."

"On pirate ship?"

"No, but we'll see if we can sail that pirate ship again before we leave."

"Swim in the pool, too?"

"We can definitely do that again."

"I jump to Ed."

"Yeah, you jumped to Ed." Olivia cradled Noah and kissed the top of his head. She didn't want him to grow up too quickly, but at that moment she wished he were a little older. She wanted to know if her instincts were right—if Noah felt what she was feeling, that this trip was simply the culmination of the three of them falling in love—with each passing day, no, passing hour, Olivia became more and more convinced they would leave Paris with the understanding that they were in this for the long haul and she wanted to talk about it before they were back in New York.

Ed returned with the water, opened it, took a sip so it wasn't too full, and handed it to Noah. He picked at the food, drank some wine, and then screwed up his face, "Hey, we didn't have a toast!"

Olivia made the same face, "Well, what is wrong with us? You or me?"

Ed held up his glass, "I'll do it." He glanced at the tower, trying to come up with something romantic on the spot, "You know, people hated the tower when it was being built. They didn't think it fit the city's architecture. But it was built anyway. And now, it's one of the most recognized and treasured landmarks in the world. No one would've predicted it." He smiled adoringly at Olivia and then at Noah, "So cheers…to Paris and to the unexpected."

"Cheers."

"Cheers!" Noah added, lifting his bottle and spilling water on himself in the process. Ed took a napkin and mopped up the spill, growled playfully, and tickled him. Noah erupted into a fit of shrieks and giggles as he tried to wriggle away. "Ed! Mommy!" And then he was laughing so hard he had trouble forming words.

When Ed eased up, he took Noah into his lap and the boy once again requested to go back to the pond with the sailboats. "Yeah, sure. Tomorrow after we go on the big boat, we can go back there." He looked at Olivia, "The boat tour is at eleven, then we'll have some time before the Louvre."

"Are you sure it's ok to bring Noah there?" Olivia imagined there were burly and unfriendly security guards stationed everywhere in the iconic museum and she was sure they wouldn't appreciate toddlers roaming around among the priceless works of art.

"It's fine. We won't be long anyway, right?"

Olivia nodded. Neither one of them were museum people, but they both agreed they couldn't come to Paris and not at least see the Mona Lisa.

"And also, I thought we would maybe take the train to Disneyland? It's not far, and he'd probably love it."

"Noah, do you want to ride on the big train?" Olivia asked sweetly.

He smiled and nodded.

"So, I'll cancel the car then. I don't know why I didn't think of the train before."

"What about Versailles?"

"The concierge said that trip may be more scenic by car…she even asked about Noah's weight so they could put the right car seat in for him."

"Wow." Olivia refilled their glasses and scooted closer to Ed and Noah. She put her head on his shoulder. "You know…you may have a second career in vacation planning, Captain Tucker."

He chuckled, "Only for family."

She backed away a little so he could look him in the eyes. "Is that how you think of us? Family?"

He stared back at her, loving the way the light from the tower struck her eyes. He felt flutters of nervousness, but not at all like he felt yesterday when she'd used "we" when talking about enrolling Noah in school. "Yeah, I do," he answered in his deep, raspy voice.

She planted an aggressive kiss on him while Noah, either oblivious or accustomed to the affection his mother and Ed shared, happily munched on his food.

….

Ed examined himself in the full-length mirror. Not bad. Navy shirt, open collar, he'd take a blazer with him, at the current temperature it wasn't needed, but he hoped Olivia would maybe need it later as they walked back to the hotel and he could gallantly drape it across her shoulders. He didn't usually use aftershave or cologne, but he applied the products provided by the hotel and he thought he liked the scent. Evergreen. Woodsy. Subtle. The European toiletry-makers really knew how to make a statement without being overpowering.

It felt weird to tuck in his shirt without the shield and Glock. He wondered if Olivia felt the same way and made a mental note to ask her later. Or, maybe not. They'd already talked about work once. No need to bring it up again.

His hair was longer than it had ever been and it lay in a messy mop atop his head. He liked it, and he thought Olivia liked it. At least, it seemed that she liked it when she ran her fingers through it when they were in bed together. It was long enough now that she gripped it when he—

Those mental images had to be put on the backburner for the time being. Ed thought about other things. The night. The restaurant. The babysitter would arrive any minute. Olivia agreed to the arrangement without reservation, but Ed thoroughly interrogated the front desk attendant before agreeing to hire a Parisian stranger to look after Noah.

"Tell me about the babysitting," he had said, speaking slowly, expecting the man not to fully understand him.

To Ed's surprise, the clerk was American. After some conversation he learned the young man was in the hotel's management training program and was on a tour of their European facilities. James assured Ed that the childcare providers were licensed, background-checked, and raved about by former guests.

"Here you go, sir, some reviews if you want to take a look."

Ed waved it off, "No, that's ok. Thank you though. So, we'll leave for dinner around seven."

"We do this in four hour increments," James explained, "All billed to the room. No tip necessary, but most people give five or so Euros per hour."

Feeling optimistic about the arrangement, Ed nodded. "Ok, let's set it up."

It was now six-thirty. Ed debated whether or not to take the ring with him. The box was a bit bulky. He could take it out. But that was risky. What if he dropped it and it was lost? Or if it fell out and Olivia saw it? Too many uncertainties. Tonight wasn't the night. He wanted Noah to be there anyway.

He could see Olivia's backside as she hunched over the vanity and put the finishing touches on her makeup. Not that she needed it. In fact, his favorite moments with her were the nights and mornings, especially after they'd showered together, when it was just _her_ , the face nobody else got to see. He tried not to stare at her, but it was difficult not to. She was in her bra and a pair of jeans that hugged her legs, those thighs that he loved to massage and loved to feel against him when they made love. He wondered, self-consciously, what she found most attractive about his body. _Something_ did. This he knew. Maybe it was his arms—she gripped them so tightly during sex—or maybe it was the shoulders, the lats, she dug into those muscles, too, in fact, that was the first part of him she went for at the onset of foreplay.

Once again, he had to divert his thinking.

The knock on the door came promptly at seven. On the other side was a comely young woman, probably early twenties, holding a chic bag with toys popping out.

"Good evening, sir," she greeted Ed formally. "I'm Veronique." Her thinly accented English seemed flawless and Ed was immediately more comfortable. Veronique smiled pleasantly and peeked around Ed, searching for signs of her charge.

Olivia came out of the bedroom with a pajama clad Noah in her arms. Seeing the unfamiliar face he burrowed his head into Olivia's neck but then shyly peeked at his babysitter out of the corner of his eye. _She's pretty, maybe I'll give her a chance._

Ed introduced everyone and the experienced Veronique settled in on the sofa and began deliberately pulling toys out of her bag.

"I'm studying to be an early childhood specialist," she explained to no one in particular, "and all of these toys have educational as well as entertainment significance." Laid out in front of her were two puzzles and a fire engine. "I am sure Noah and I will have a fabulous time." She checked her watch.

Ed and Olivia huddled around Noah, speaking softly to him, and prodding him to let go of Olivia's neck and join Veronique. Gradually, he loosened his grip, and when Olivia put him on the floor, he cautiously approached the coffee table and began examining one of the puzzles.

"I'll get my bag," Olivia said, satisfied Noah wasn't going to throw a fit. As she retrieved her purse from the bedroom, her heart warmed as she heard Ed giving bedtime instructions. So husbandly. So fatherly. She thought about their conversations over the past two days—the one about family and the time when Ed talked about arranged marriages and doing things in reverse.

She smiled at Veronique and kissed the top of Noah's head. He was now fully involved with the puzzle and she and Ed were able to leave without a fuss.

A puzzle.

How appropriate.

For once, Olivia felt the pieces of her life were finally coming together.

And the finished product was looking more and more beautiful.

….

The waiter poured a bit of wine into Ed's glass.

"How's that, sir?"

Ed sipped. He was not a wine connoisseur, but he swished it around in his mouth and savored it like he knew all about tannins and acidity and whatever else oenophiles used to rate wine quality.

"I think that'll do," he said.

The waiter poured a more generous portion into both glasses. "I'll leave you and your wife to decide."

Olivia made light of what could have been an awkward moment. She scanned the menu and asked in a teasing voice, "Well, _dear_ , what looks good to you?" They were in a less touristy area, so the menu was written entirely in French even though the wait staff graciously (and surprisingly) spoke English. Olivia could navigate her way through the items and was about to begin translating, but Ed didn't take one glance at the menu.

Instead he gazed across at Olivia who looked absolutely radiant against the backdrop of the Paris streetscape. They were seated outdoors, and the only light came from the candlelit tables and the street lamps. Still, her eyes shone as if she were in a perpetual state of amusement, and the lip gloss she used was almost too inviting. " _You_ look good to me," He said as he raised his glass offered a simple toast, "To us."

"To us," Olivia reciprocated.

"We had a great day today." Ed commented, even though it sounded more like a question.

Olivia nodded, "We did. I'm glad we sat on the top level of the boat. It was a little windy, but a better experience, I think." Tour boat seating was mostly on the lower level and enclosed by glass, but Ed and Olivia made sure to put themselves in line strategically so they would have dibs on three upper-level seats. As the captain navigated the Seine, tour guides pointed out various landmarks and historical sites. Noah, enthralled, stood either on Olivia's or Ed's lap for the entire time. After only three days in Paris, he was getting pretty good at recognizing places like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.

"Tower!" He would shout.

"Church!"

Whenever he saw a large residential building he would turn to Ed or Olivia and ask, "Our hotel?"

After the tour, as promised, they took Noah back to Luxembourg Gardens where they had a picnic lunch and rented another sailboat, unfortunately, the Pirate Ship was taken, but Noah settled for one with a red and green sail with some sort of starfish painted on it. Once again, Ed shadowed Noah who was gaining confidence leaning over the edge to guide his boat.

Ed must have been mentally cataloguing their day as well. "We should get him a boat for the pond at home," he suggested cautiously.

"He'd like that."

They sipped wine in silence and people-watched for a few minutes. Couples strolled by arm-in-arm. Somewhere nearby a street performer was strumming a violin. Compared to New York, traffic was calm and taxi drivers maneuvered without blaring horns or shouting at one another through open windows.

Olivia broke the silence. "I'm glad we got to do this at least once—go out just the two of us."

Ed didn't know why, but he was slightly surprised to hear her say that. "Me too," Ed replied, "And we'll probably get him up tomorrow morning and he'll be speaking French."

Olivia laughed a little. "Right."

"Something wrong?" Ed asked gently. She'd been more effusive than ever so far on the trip and it seemed like she was withdrawing into a sullen mood.

She gave him a genuine smile and leaned forward, "Nothing at all is wrong."

"Yeah?"  
"Yeah."

"You just seem quiet that's all."

"I think…" Olivia paused, searching for the right words, "I'm overwhelmed. By the city. By you. By how we're creating these memories together, the three of us. I know it took us a while to get here…but it seems so fast."

Ed's eyes widened with alarm. "Too fast?"

She was quick to answer. "No. But, you were right when you said this year has been…a struggle. It has. But, on the other hand, it's been so good. You know, to see us…become _us_. I look back now, and I'm just—"

"Happy?" Ed suggested.

"Thrilled, actually."

Ed blushed.

"And grateful."

He blushed even more as he leaned as far as possible across the table. "Come here."

She met his lips with hers, and they kissed for as long as their strained bodies could stand the uncomfortable position.

"After we eat," Ed said, "I want to walk back to the hotel. There's one place we didn't hit today and I want to see it at night."

Olivia, of course, agreed. She had already surrendered to Ed's meticulous planning.

"Great!" he said brightly and waved the menu at her, "Now will you _please_ help me with this?"

Olivia grinned and began reading.

…..

Ed took Olivia's hand and led her away from the restaurant towards the river. "You don't mind the walk, do you?" He asked, genuinely concerned since she wore the new wedge heels she'd purchased at a Champs Elysees boutique earlier that day. To Ed, they seemed like an uncharacteristic purchase, but Olivia raved about them as soon as she saw the pair in a window display. Style aside, the shoes didn't look like go-to footwear for long walks.

"Not at all," she replied breezily and allowed herself to fall into step with him as he slid an arm around her waist. They ambled along the riverside path slowly, at times a bit clumsily, appreciating the ambiance—pedestrians like them, street performers, and water lapping at the retaining walls.

Ed thought about the day's earlier shopping trip along Paris' most elegant avenue. He actually enjoyed wandering in and out of shops with Olivia and Noah. Not much of a browser himself, he tagged along patiently as Olivia examined everything from footwear to clothing to children's toys. Noah was the recipient of several items; the largest among them was the kite which Ed promised they'd fly after visiting Disneyland. Ed made the purchase after he took a fussy Noah out of a housewares shop, and when Olivia saw it she remarked blithely, "We're definitely going to have to ship some things home."

Olivia brought Ed back to the present when she paused to take a photo of the illuminated Louvre pyramid. Her face contorted with concentration, she captured the view at several angles, and then turned the phone on herself and Ed. Quality-wise, it was a terrible picture. Olivia cocked her head to the side so her head touched Ed's cheek, and strands of her hair blew across his face. It was blurry, but she stared at it for a few extra seconds, noticing the joy in both their faces. She loved it.

"I thought the museum would be more crowded today," Ed said as they continued along the path.

It had taken them only a couple of hours to see the Louvre's most famous pieces; waiting in line for the Mona Lisa consumed most of that time.

"Me too," Olivia replied, "There were a lot of kids there, too. That was surprising."

"They probably have no choice…with all the families traveling."

"Right."

"This way," Ed instructed, "This is the famous bridge." He led her across the Pont des Arts and began narrating softly into her ear. "This is the one where tourists used to write their initials on a padlock and then throw the key into the river. But the locks started weighing down the railings and sections of it collapsed. So they have these boards now, and the graffiti as a temporary fix until they install plexiglass."

They stepped back and examined the painted panels. Most were satirical and cartoonish depictions of what had previously been a treasured tradition. One artist distorted the Eiffel Tower and Arc du Triomphe, depicting them as angry padlocks. Another painted an ancient-looking key with robot-like appendages and angel wings flying towards an animated and terrified-looking keyhole. On one panel the design was simply a series of intertwining rings, probably intended to recapture the symbolism of permanence the locks represented.

"Too bad we can't do that," she mused.

Ed wasn't sure how to respond or if a reply was even necessary.

Olivia gripped the railing and took in the city view. Lights flickered and buildings were reflected on the river's surface. Ed stood behind her, sensing the moment was hers and hers alone, letting her process the place and time and whatever was running through her mind. He wished he knew what she was thinking because he was about to venture onto a very precarious limb sometime in the next few days, and he would have appreciated any type of indicator, clue, or sign that she would answer his question in the affirmative.

She looked over her shoulder, missing him. On cue, he wrapped his arms around her torso and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I love you."

The term of endearment was spoken by both of them at exactly the same time.

Many couples, perhaps, would have laughed and considered the simultaneous utterance a fluke, a funny coincidence. For Ed and Olivia, there was nothing humorous about it. Olivia closed her eyes with satisfaction and let herself fall back a little into Ed's arms. In response, he tightened his grip. Unspoken resignation and understanding radiated between them and electrified their senses. They were not people who trusted or relied upon metaphysics or signs, but neither he nor she minded this particular twist of fate. They remained in that spot on the bridge for several minutes, sharing kisses, glued together, knowing those words and their fateful timing was something more significant than just a happy accident.

…..

They expected to find Veronique sacked out on the sofa when they returned to the hotel, but she was sitting in the armchair reading a book by lamplight while Noah slept peacefully on the sofa bed. The toys had been placed neatly back into her bag, and when Ed and Olivia entered, she removed her glasses, stood up, told them Noah was a delight, and, in a businesslike manner, made her way to the door. Olivia fished around in her purse for some Euros and sincerely thanked the babysitter in French. Ed stood by in silence, grinning with admiration at Olivia who initially claimed her command of the language was basic at best. Either she had been modest in her self-assessment or her immersion in Parisian culture caused a dramatic increase in her fluency.

"Balcony?" Ed asked, motioning to the French doors.

Olivia shook her head. There was a pleading look in her eyes and concern crossed Ed's face. He knew that expression, but it typically showed up during periods of extreme stress or trauma—times when she struggled to cope on her own. In the past year, stress and trauma descended frequently into her life, and Ed willingly and selflessly weathered the aftermath with her each time, doing whatever was necessary to erase that desperation from her demeanor.

Utley holding her hostage.

Hank Abraham and the fallout for Pippa and her children.

The transfer.

The rift with Barba.

Her brief yet frightening reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism.

The challenges of trying to foster some continuity among the members of her squad.

Finally getting some camaraderie and then shouldering the guilt related to Mike's death.

Each time, Ed persuaded her to let him help her, be there for her, shoulder some of that emotional baggage, and realize she was no longer alone. Whatever volatility her job brought into her life, he explained, could now be countered with his presence. They'd endured more than their share of crises in the past few months, and, tragically, it took Mike Dodds' death to solidify their bond—a bond only people who have _survived together_ could possibly forge. Negotiating with Utley terrified Ed and reopened Olivia's old wounds. During the church scandal the two of them operated with an _Us Against the World_ attitude. Not only could Cousin Eugene and the dirty Vice cops have ruined Ed's career, they could have also torpedoed his relationship with Olivia. But, they didn't crack. They became stronger.

Yet, it wasn't until they were sitting vigil at Lincoln Hospital that the strain of their jobs and their impenetrable reliance on one another fused with their mutual affection. As he struggled to stay awake while Olivia dozed on his shoulder and then later when she collapsed, sobbing, into his arms, it was clear to Ed that he had to have Benson in his life forever. He would do anything for her. What they had was not some ephemeral dalliance. He never wanted to let her go.

So why, in the middle of their perfect getaway, was this pained expression resurfacing?

He stepped forward cautiously, eyes fixed on hers, reached out, and smoothed her hair. She placed both hands on his chest before letting them fall to his waist. Ed gently kissed one cheek and then the other, trying to erase whatever pain or unease she was feeling.

Finally, she spoke. "You…take such good care of me. Of us." Her voice trembled.

Ed continued running his fingers through her hair and responded softly, his voice raspier than usual, "I always will."

"We'll take care of each other." Olivia managed to say as tears welled and then spilled over when she blinked. Ed caught them with his lips and then kissed her mouth, gently then more insistently. He slowly curled his tongue against hers, holding her head to him with one hand and expertly unclasping her bra with the other. He ran his fingertips from her back to her chest and felt her fight a shudder before she relaxed again as he cupped her breasts. She began unbuttoning his shirt, kissing back with increasing fervor, moaning a little, feeling him against her and feeling the heat of desire within her own body.

At the sound of Noah stirring in his sleep, Ed walked them to the bedroom, slid the pocket door closed, and backed her up and onto the bed. He was so enraptured he nearly proposed right there, in the middle of the most tender lovemaking session they'd ever shared. He felt strong, needed, desired, wanted…ultra-masculine. At one point he paused inside of her, stared at her intently, and noticed passion and pleasure had supplanted the despondency in her eyes.

"We found each other," he managed to mutter before resuming his gentle thrusts.

"We did," Olivia managed to utter as she dug her fingers into his back and arched into him. Ed increased the intensity and the only sounds either one of them was capable of voicing were moans, whimpers, and pillow-muffled shrieks as they melted into one another.

In the afterglow, Ed couldn't stop kissing her. Olivia was on her back and ran her fingers through his hair as he pecked at her neck and shoulders. He was searching for words. He wanted to be poetic and completely blow her mind with his eloquence. Yet, only two rather rudimentary phrases played on a loop in his brain.

 _I love her. I want to marry her. I love her. I want to marry her. I love her. I want to marry her…_

Olivia broke the silence. "I could stay like this forever," she said.

"Ok," he replied.

Now? Was now the time? He wanted it to be in front of the Eiffel Tower. Cliché? Yes, but that's what he decided, thinking every woman would want a proposal to happen there, but maybe he should just get up and get the ring and get down on one knee and do it already. Surely, wrapped up in this sexually charged and highly romantic moment she would say yes. But he didn't want a yes under circumstances so skewed in his favor, in the post-lovemaking stupor, so close to drifting off to sleep in one another's arms. No, he wanted an alert _yes_. He wanted her to accept with a clear head, and he had to be flawless with his words. That was impossible now because all he wanted to do, besides marry her, was breathe her in, taste her, and consume her essence. He wasn't confident he could craft a coherent sentence; how could he possibly string together the romantic prose necessary for a preface to a marriage proposal?

Soon, he felt her caresses wane and then stop altogether. Her breathing thickened as she fell into a deep sleep. He rolled over to his side of the bed, but she curled into him, unconsciously telling him to stay close. Ed remained wide awake; the activity of the next few days raced through his head. Tomorrow was all about Noah—Disneyland and probably more swimming. Oh, and kite flying. They would be tired after such a long day and dinner would be room service eaten on the terrace. Ed smiled as he anticipated Noah's inevitable glee. He'd already raised kids of his own, but the experience proved tainted since his ex-wife had been intent not only on destroying their marriage but also poisoning his kids against him. She did an excellent job of characterizing him as a cold and aloof father and husband, so after the divorce it was easier for him, betrayed and alone, to simply become that awful person. But, that wasn't really who Ed Tucker was.

Olivia and Noah presented an opportunity for a fresh start and a second chance at family. He felt redeemed from whatever past sins he'd committed, even if many of them had been manufactured by his former spouse. Tucker had been living as an imposter—his true character was not the steely, uncompromising, unsympathetic IAB investigator. He was a provider. A protector. Dependable. Generous. Loving.

Ed Tucker finally felt like a good man again.

…..

The sun had not yet risen when Olivia woke up. Unbeknownst to her, Ed finally drifted off to sleep only two hours earlier. He was on his side facing the opposite direction, and she inched closer. Aware of how little sleep Olivia was accustomed to getting, Ed rarely woke her up unnecessarily, and had Olivia known he practically forced himself into slumber, she probably wouldn't have roused him.

She kissed his shoulder blade and ran a fingertip along the outline of his body. He moved slightly, but it wasn't until Olivia gently rolled him onto his back and kissed his mouth that he awakened with a start.

"Oh…hey," he stammered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She kissed him again.

He groggily opened his eyes and took a glance at the clock. Four-thirty. Ed's drowsy fog quickly turned to excitement.

 _What was this about?_

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" He asked, his voice huskier than usual. Before the previous evening's unforgettable sex, she had been oddly quiet. And, that _look_.

"I wanted to tell you something else last night and I…didn't."

"What is it?"

"Everything yesterday was so romantic. So special."

"Yeah it was."

"And I got this…strange feeling when we got back…almost…fear."

" _Fear_?"

"Ed," she was serious now as she peered fixedly at him in the darkness. Yes, fear. She was afraid of losing him, but to explain it that way sounded too negative; Olivia wanted no negative energy in the room. "I always want you with me," she whispered almost inaudibly.

This was an incredibly difficult truth for her to admit. Lieutenant Olivia Benson was independent, strong, and capable of handling things on her own. To acknowledge she not only wanted but _needed_ someone in her life as her partner and her lover was a major step. And an important one. She knew it, and she felt lightheaded with relief as she said the words out loud.

The gravity of the statement was not lost on Ed either. Wide awake now, he reached up and held her face with both hands. "I'm not going anywhere, Liv. I promise." She kissed his lips again before moving to his cheeks and then his neck and chest. As she drifted lower and lower, Ed asked softly, "Whaddya doin'?" He knew the answer, but he didn't know what else to say.

Olivia responded, "Appreciating you."

He closed his eyes and laid his head back. They would be leaving for Disney in less than three hours. There was little chance for more sleep, by the end of the day he would be exhausted.

But that was fine with him.

….

 _Part III forthcoming…_ #Tuckson


	3. Chapter 3

_Apologies: a) interior monologues may ramble in some places b) length, but it's a_ _ **TRI**_ _logy-had to get it all in one chapter_ :-)

 **Paris: The Final Days**

The commuter train running from Paris to Disneyland was not much different from a New York City Subway except it was above ground and remarkably clean. Noah knelt on the plastic seat and pressed his forehead to the glass. As they traveled farther from the city center, he was easily entertained and pointed out the different animals he spotted as they sped through the suburbs and then more rural landscapes. When the train pulled into the station, Noah resisted.

"I wanna stay on the train!" He cried.

Olivia remained calm. "Noah, we're going to Disney sweetheart. We'll ride it again after."

He peered at his mother skeptically, considering her offer. "We ride the train back to the hotel?"

"Yes." She held her hand out, "Now come on, we're going to see Mickey Mouse and Nemo, and Mater—"

Hearing the name of his favorite _Cars_ character, Noah propelled himself out of the seat and took Olivia's hand. They followed Ed onto the platform and he pulled them against a wall to read his map. The vast Disneyland complex included two theme parks, several hotels, a golf course, and several other entertainment and shopping venues. The three of them were limiting themselves to just a fraction of what the park had to offer.

"I suppose some people spend their entire vacation here," Olivia mused as she looked over Ed's shoulder.

"I'm sure they do. We'll have to come back when Noah's older."

 _We_.

Noah had already been overwhelmed by the elaborate playground at Luxembourg Gardens, but as soon as they entered the park gates his senses overloaded. It was still early so the grounds weren't crowded, but familiar costumed characters milled about and Noah frantically called out each one.

"Mickey!"

"Snow White!"

"Cindabella!"

"Goofy!"

"Pluto!"

"Pooh Bear!"

"Sariff Woody!"

Ed and Olivia looked at one another curiously.

"How does he know every one of them?" Ed asked.

"Maybe day care?" Olivia speculated. She elbowed him in the side and teased, "Or maybe…he, too, hit the books before coming here." Ed looked down bashfully and Olivia continued bantering, "Apparently, I'm the only one who didn't study."

"Yeah, well, you speak French."

"Not very well."

"You were having a _conversation_ with the waiter last night. And with the lady on the train today."

Olivia tried to be modest but secretly she was flattered, "I ordered our _dinner_ ," she protested, "And she just asked me Noah's age."

Noah tugged at their pant legs. "We go see Mater now?"

"Sure, bud," Ed took another look at the map. "This way."

…..

Olivia snapped selfies as the three of them huddled in their replica Mater truck, waiting for the ride to start. Noah sat between Ed and the steering wheel, and he turned it back and forth impatiently. "Let's go!" He shouted. "I drive!"

Riders did not control the cars. They spun around on platforms while slowly being elevated until they were about ten feet off the ground. Noah giggled and shrieked and turned the steering wheel even more aggressively. For him, the motion probably seemed exhilaratingly fast, but for the adults, the pace was leisurely. Ed sat back with his hands clasped behind his head, taking in the scenery with a silly smirk on his face. Olivia took selfies as they coasted through the air.

"We do that again?" Noah asked before they were even out of the car.

Ed deferred to Olivia. "Let's see what else there is to do first," she prodded, "There's a pirate ship and Buzz Lightyear and another train."

Noah, unhappy with this answer, looked at Ed, "We do Cars again?"

Olivia rolled her eyes and snickered, "So he already knows…if mom says no, ask Ed. Great."

Ed picked him up and whispered loudly so Olivia could easily hear, "We'll come back, bud, but Mommy's right. There are other rides that are even better than this one. Look!" Ed produced the map from his back pocket, "This Buzz Lightyear ride—we can shoot lasers!"

"Lasers?"

"Yeah, let's check it out!"

Olivia was partially grateful for her boyfriend's ability to mollify her son, and for now, it was adorable that they were becoming partners in crime. Not terribly interested in firing lasers at space villains while hurtling through darkness, she suggested Ed and Noah go while she browsed in the nearby shops.

"You sure?" Ed asked.

"Yes, go ahead…if that's ok with you."

"Yeah, absolutely. You gonna be around here?"

Olivia gestured across the plaza, "I'm going to wander around over there. I'll meet you at the exit."

"Ok."

She hung around and leaned on the railing for a few minutes and observed her guys as the attendants herded them and dozens of others through the maze of metal bars. Ed carried Noah, and she saw his face contort with hilarity as her over-stimulated son darted his eyes all around and chattered away. At one point Noah put both hands on Ed's face and leaned in closely, said something with a serious expression on his face, and then spontaneously erupted into laughter.

Olivia zoomed in on them with the Nikon. Instead of being bothered by the strengthening bond between her son and her boyfriend, their closeness warmed her heart. What were the chances that she would fall in love with a man who was crazy about her _and_ her kid? She could have driven herself crazy speculating what they were talking about and why Noah was laughing. She could have worried that this familial bliss was merely a fleeting moment—generated by this setting and nothing more. But those concerns just weren't there. She was completely at peace.

Ed and Noah disappeared under the structure's canopy, and Olivia took a cursory stroll through the souvenir shops. She returned a few minutes before the boys exited and when they did, Noah ran up to her and shoved a colorful piece of paper into her hand.

"Mommy, we won!"

Olivia examined the report. It listed all participants on their particular ride by the points they accumulated. "Which team were you?" She asked Ed.

He ran his finger down the first column and stopped at the bottom, "Um, that one," he said sheepishly.

The lowest score.

"Wow," she joked, "It's a good thing you're going to _negotiation_ and not the sniper team."

Ed, put a hand on his chest, pretending to be wounded. " _Ouch_."

She rubbed a bicep and leaned in for a kiss. "I'm sorry. That wasn't very nice of me." Jest tinged the apology.

He licked his lips. "You're forgiven."

"Lunch?"

"I think maybe we need to take another spin on that ride."

Olivia couldn't tell whether or not he was joking, but Noah took him seriously. "Again, Ed!" He shouted.

"One more time?" Ed asked her, sounding like a kid. "There's no wait right now."

"One more time," she replied. "I'm going to get us a table at that restaurant over there."

"Order me a beer?"

"Sure."

"We'll do better this time."

She glanced down at Noah who was attempting to drag Ed back to the ride.

"I'm sure you will," she said sarcastically, tacitly acknowledging the liability of having a two-year-old's erratic shots factored into his score. She gave him a gentle shove. " _Go_."

Ed and Noah hustled towards the entrance and Olivia settled in at a patio table. The English-speaking waiter approached her, but she ordered the beers and Noah's juice in French anyway.

….

After lunch they decided to relax a little and see the Finding Nemo show. The plush chairs, darkness, and animated ocean scenes set to whimsical music proved too soothing for Ed. Two hours of sleep and the lunchtime beers caught up to him, and Olivia noticed him doze off almost immediately. She snuck a few pictures and cuddled Noah to her as they watched Nemo, Dory, and the others swim through the domed aquarium.

At one point Noah whispered, "Ed sleeping, Mommy. We wake him up?"

"No," she whispered back, "Not yet."

"He tired?"

She thought about last night and their early morning rendezvous, and she felt a little guilty about the erotic chill fluttering down her spine as she held her toddler. "Yes, sweet boy, he's a little tired. But we'll wake him up at the end."

Ed's snooze lasted only thirty minutes, but he felt refreshed and not the least bit groggy. They left the theatre, posed for pictures with a few characters, and set off to hit the rest of the rides on their list.

The three of them sailed through the air in miniature Dumbo elephants, rode through the elaborate canals of _It's a Small World_ , heard the story of Pinocchio while traveling through an enlarged version of Gepetto's workshop, and concluded their day with one more run each through Buzz Lightyear and _Cars_. They stopped occasionally to browse the gift shops, the park had _too_ many, and left the park toting two large plastic bags.

"Seriously," Olivia said as they boarded the train back to the city, "We have three more days. We really should look into shipping these back instead of dragging all of this on the plane. And…the _kite_."

The red kite was gigantic.

Ed nodded in agreement. "I bet the concierge will do it for us."

Olivia considered the hotel staff's attention to detail—the personalized robes and toiletries, the elaborate room service spreads, daily coloring books and crayons—and there was no doubt in her mind they would either provide the service or show them exactly where to go.

"Ed? We flying the kite today?"

Sapped of energy, Ed almost said a reluctant yes. After all, he had promised. However, it appeared that Mother Nature would bail him out. As the train churned towards the city, dark, menacing clouds eclipsed the blue sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Bud, I think we're gonna have to do that tomorrow. It looks like there's a storm coming in. How about we swim instead?"

Noah craned his neck upwards, "Whoah! Black clouds! Ok, Ed, we swim. Mommy?"

"Hmmm?"

"You swim too?  
"Of course." She cradled his head and then whispered in his ear, "Make sure you tell Ed thank you for taking you to Disney and riding all the rides with you….on very little sleep," she added, glancing at Ed seductively.

"THANK YOU, ED!" Noah shouted to the amusement of other passengers.

Noah held out his arms for a hug.

"You're welcome, pal," Ed murmured, "We had fun, didn't we?"

"Yep! Now we swim!"

"That's right. Hey! Can you say 'thank you' in French?"

"MERCEEEE!"

"Very good."

"Ok, sweet Noah," Olivia addressed him in her soothing bedtime voice, "Time to calm down a little bit."

Noah still bounced around on Ed's lap, but he obediently lowered his volume. Ed turned to Olivia. "What do you wanna do for dinner?"

"Something simple."

"Pizza? Do they do that here?"

"Pizza!" Noah interjected.

Olivia grinned, "I'm sure they do…but, _Ed_ ," she gasped dramatically, "It won't be Sal's."

Ed's cheeks reddened. _She sure was in a buoyant mood today_. He was not a man of many quirks, but he was picky about his pizza. In New York, he always ordered from the same place more out of loyalty to the owner than the quality of the food. He balked whenever Olivia suggested a different pizza joint, but he made up for it by being open to trying any other type of restaurant.

He squeezed her leg just above the knee, "I'll deal with it. For Noah."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "You're so sweet."

"I'm glad you found that out."

"Me too."

Now it was his turn to joke. "It only took, what? Five years?"

"Try ten."

" _Ten_?"

"At least."

"I think your math might be off."

"I don't think so," She buried her head more deeply into his neck, "But it doesn't matter now."

Ed gently disagreed, "It kind of does. It matters that the ugly stuff is long gone."

She kissed his cheek and gazed into his eyes as if she were boring into the depths of his soul, "You are absolutely right. Sweet _and_ wise. Lucky me."

The train jerked as it pulled into the station and the automated system blared instructions. Ed and Olivia collected their bags and Noah. They hailed a taxi back to the hotel since it had started raining.

The whole time, Ed was thinking she had it wrong.

 _No, Liv. Lucky me._

…..

Olivia accompanied Ed and Noah to the pool, but she spent most of the time in the hot tub chatting with the mother of an older boy they'd noticed around the pool the last time they swam. Every time Olivia tried to extricate herself from the conversation, the woman, a Londoner, brought up a new topic including, of course, Noah and Ed.

"Your husband is so kind to play in the pool with your son," she commented. "My husband despises the pool. But, we accompany him on business anyway, so he never has the time."

Just as she did at the restaurant, Olivia let _husband_ pass without addressing the misnomer. "Well, we're both on vacation, so we get to spend all our time together."

"What type of work do you do?"

"Police."

The lady's eyes widened and then darted around as if she expected flanks of uniformed and gun-toting personnel to emerge at any moment. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Quite dangerous, no?"

"We're both commanding officers," Olivia explained, "So it's not as dangerous as you think."

 _Right_. In the past year she'd been held hostage at gunpoint, and it could have easily been her in that house with Munson instead of Dodds.

"Oh! Brilliant! Well, good for you!"

Olivia turned her attention to the main pool where Ed was dragging Noah around in circles, bobbing him in and out of the water along the way. Fortuitously, Ed caught her eye and stopped abruptly.

"More, Ed!" Noah demanded.

"Hang on, bud." He waded towards the hot tub and called, "Hey, Liv! It's not good for you to be in there for so long. Come on over here!"

 _Rescued_.

Faking reluctance, Olivia bade farewell to her acquaintance, "I've been summoned."

"It was nice meeting you!"

"You too."

Olivia jumped from the hot tub into the pool's deep end and swam to Ed and Noah, bumping her head into Ed's chest on the approach. She surfaced and Ed brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Hey there."

"Hi." Noah flung himself to her and she caught him just before he went under. "Hi big guy!" She exclaimed, stepping backwards to avoid going under herself.

"You looked desperate."

"I was. Thanks for the save."

Ed shrugged and got cocky, "Ah, it's what I do."

 _That's for sure._

….

Later that night they gave Noah a bath and ate their pizza on the terrace. It had been a long exhausting day, so when Ed suggested the three of them watch a movie in the bedroom, Olivia readily agreed.

"Just let me call the squad first." She'd been checking in every other day and tried not to feel bad that Carisi, Rollins, and Fin were all working long hours and dealing with a temporary sergeant leading the squad in her absence. She took solace in the fact that she was missed and when she returned, she would be mentally ready to move forward.

She found the paper where she'd written the string of numbers required to dial internationally and paced back and forth, waiting for the connection. Noah was on the bed playing with a puppet, one of the day's many presents. Fin picked up the phone; Olivia greeted him, and listened intently as he filled her in. Or, at least she tried to listen intently. Just after Fin picked up, Ed came out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and nipped at her neck from behind. She batted him away, but he persisted, chuckling yet determined, enjoying making what was probably a mundane call a little more challenging for her.

She flipped the phone so the mouthpiece was in the air and hissed, " _Stop it_."

"Stop working. We're not supposed to be working," Ed retorted under his breath.

She tried to muster a stern glare, but the corners of her mouth turned up when she saw his innocent, pouty face and his damp, mussed hair. She pecked his cheek and pushed him towards the bed, opting to finish the call in the parlor.

Ed collapsed next to Noah.

"Hi Ed," he said casually.

"Hi Noah."

"You wanna play puppets?" Noah deposited the toy on Ed's chest.

"What else ya got?"

Noah rifled through his thing, "Nemo, Mater, other cars…"

"How about we decide which movie we're watching?" Ed reached over to the nightstand for the programming list. Noah snuggled up to him and pretended to read. Impatient that Olivia's call was taking longer than expected, Ed turned on the television, flipped to a dubbed version of _Friends,_ and stared blankly at the screen. He was beyond exhausted.

When Olivia finally ended the call she returned to the bedroom and found both Noah and Ed sacked out. Ed had fallen asleep with one arm under his head and the other splayed out at his side. Noah was on his stomach, surrounded by the mess of toys, and perpendicular to Ed. Adorably, the little boy unconsciously stroked the back of the older man's hand. She chose not to photograph the precious moment, cataloguing it mentally instead, just for her, readily available whenever she chose to access it. Sometimes she preferred to do this—she had thousands of digital images catalogued on her computer, but many of the most sacred moments had been stored in the most private depths of her memory.

Tomorrow, May 20, marked the seventh day of their vacation, yet it held more substantial significance. Last year on that day, Judge Linden signed off on Noah's adoption.

One year. In her almost half-century of being on Earth, Olivia experienced the widest range of tragedy and pure joy—a spectrum usually measured over the course of one's entire _life_ —in merely 365 days.

At this time last year, she was preparing for the Lieutenant's exam, completing Noah-related documents, figuring out what exactly was happening with Tucker, and, of course, continuing to adjust to being in charge. The whirlwind of activity didn't allow for much time off, she managed just a few days of Noah-Mommy time, but they weren't consecutive and they remained in New York. She was happy but uneasy. Suddenly everything was new, and there was no waiting period to adjust. It was simultaneously frightening and thrilling being a stranger in her own life.

Noah was the easy part. Finally, she relaxed, knowing the critical eye of Children's Services no longer hovered over her home. She could plan for the future without the nagging reality that her son could be whisked away from her at any time.

 _Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown._

This line from a college Shakespeare class drifted in and out of her mind when she felt herself overcome by the pressures and demands of her job. SVU cases were always soul-crushing, but it was now _her_ squad and _her_ competence in the spotlight. The boss had no one to commiserate with when pursuing perps and supporting victims became especially heart-rending.

Enter Ed Tucker.

If there was anyone in the NYPD who understood the isolation of leadership, it was Captain Tucker. At least, he reasoned with Olivia during one of their nights out, most SVU victims left the precinct appreciative of the consolation and sympathy the squad offered. There was no way the detectives could ameliorate the long-term effects of sexual assault, but detectives and victims were not typically adversaries. Tucker had no "victims;" he had wayward brother officers. No accused cop left IAB with an uplifted attitude. Ed once told Olivia that half of NYPD loathed him, but he was probably lowballing the percentage. Ed's only saving grace, the only reason he could sleep at night, was the conception that he was doing the city a noble service. He was willing to shoulder the skepticism and ridicule if it meant he was ridding the public of officers who were not upholding their oaths to protect and serve. Even so, occupying the moral high ground did not correlate to contentment and happiness outside of IAB's interrogation rooms.

Both Tucker and Benson handled their blossoming romance with kid gloves. Meeting "accidentally" for drinks turned into meeting at appointed times for drinks which then became dinner dates, and, finally, outings with Noah. They were cautious about intimacy at first with their evenings together capped only with hugs and kisses, some innocent and others more passionate. Olivia consistently used Noah as an excuse to avoid his apartment or inviting him over, but the more she tried to keep him at bay, the more intensely she wanted him around.

She caved after Dume, Campesi, and Donlan were indicted. After her battle with Barba during the grand jury proceedings, she changed her mind, went against what she thought was better judgement, and summoned Tucker to her apartment late that night. Eager and sensing his patience was paying off, he arrived quickly with a bottle of bourbon, and listened as she vented about everything she could without breaching confidentiality.

" _Nothing_ positive is coming out of this," Olivia complained desperately. For her, scraping through the muck to uncover a silver lining was a specialty, and, this time, she just couldn't find even a glimmer of hope.

She remembered how Ed took her into his arms and hugged her. Just a hug, a strong one, but he didn't try anything else. He knew exactly what it was like to face the reality that all possible outcomes were less than ideal, and he told her so-he felt that way at the end of every one of his cases. Even if he busted the rogue cop, families were affected and the public's trust was damaged. If the cop was cleared, there was always a lingering possibility that he or she really was guilty. The uncertainties consumed him; they were worse than ugly truths.

Ed surprised Olivia that night by objecting, at first, to her advances. When he released her from the embrace, she kissed him like she'd never kissed him before. It clearly conveyed the message, _I want you_. Ed trembled ever so slightly as she unbuttoned his shirt and explored previously untouched places on his body. Several times he whispered, "Are you sure?" Olivia responded in the affirmative each time until she finally requested that he stop asking.

Now they were here. Ed recognized she needed an escape, so he whisked her away to Paris. Not only that, this man whose kids were grown and had long since moved away, created a Noah-friendly itinerary and never once hesitated to carry him on his shoulders for blocks and blocks, toss him around in the pool, wake up early with him in the mornings, and, in general, spoil the kid rotten. From the beginning, Ed not only accepted the Noah-Olivia package deal, but he _lived_ it.

Olivia turned off the television, expecting one of them to respond to the sudden silence, but neither Ed nor Noah moved. Next, she carefully removed the toys, leaving the plush Nemo and the puppet, turned Noah so his head was on a pillow, and covered them both with a throw blanket. Earlier, Ed let it slip that he'd been operating on little sleep, and she didn't want to wake him up again. Olivia slid under the covers, kissed Noah's forehead, and drifted off to sleep.

…

The rain abated overnight and the trio was able to enjoy the morning at Versailles. They wandered in the gardens and through the most famous rooms-Hall of Mirrors, the Marble Court, Hall of Battles, and the King's Bedchamber. In the chamber, Ed spun around on his heel in awe of the ornate architecture and remarked, "Yeah…we need a bedroom like this one."

"What you do think, Noah?" Olivia asked, "Would you like a room like this?"

Noah mimicked Ed's movements. "Lotsa toys can fit in here!"

On their way out, they stopped at a separate, smaller, palace called the Grand Trianon. "This place," Ed informed them, "was first built for the mistress of King Louis…ah, I forget, maybe the fourteenth? Anyway, it was acceptable at the time to have your mistress on site."

"You're making that up," Olivia concluded skeptically.

Ed held up his hands, palms facing her, "Honest truth. I read it—"

"I know, I know… _in the book_."

"Now they use it for foreign dignitaries mostly."

"Who also bring their mistresses?"

"Quite possibly. Or they get one here," Ed deadpanned.

They arrived back in the city later in the afternoon and decided to have another casual picnic meal in the park near the Eiffel Tower. Noah was generally well-behaved at restaurants, but he'd been corralled all day, so they thought this set-up was better. Plus, they enjoyed people-watching and the laid-back ambiance. They purchased sandwiches, wine, and a few desserts to share, packed the bag, and departed after a quick stop at the hotel. Noah insisted they bring the kite, and Olivia tossed in some cars, a puzzle, and a book as well.

"There's not a whole lotta wind, bud," Ed broke the news to him as they spread everything out on the blanket.

Noah shrugged and grabbed the unwieldy kite. "I fly." He took off holding the kite over his head, running in wide circles, until he tired himself out and played with the cars instead.

Olivia leaned back on her elbows and sighed, "Two more days."

Ed took a gulp of the wine. "Two more. I didn't really plan anything, just in case there was something we wanted to add. So…"

She grinned at him and gave him a kiss, "So, we'll wing it."

"Yeah."

"Are you ok with that?"

"Of course," he replied, "I don't have to plan _everything_."

"When we get back," Olivia began slowly, thoughtfully, making sure she had his full attention, "I want you to come home with us."

Ed looked at her like this was no big deal. It wasn't. He'd spent consecutive days at Benson's apartment many times.

"And stay."

He blinked. "I can do that." The words came out a little too quickly.

Olivia didn't notice. She only nodded as if she were closing a business deal.

"Ed? You help with this?" Noah struggled to fit a puzzle piece into its place.

Ed was grateful for the diversion. Olivia asked him to move in so casually…it nearly rendered him speechless. "It's the right one, pal, just twist it around until it fits. There ya go!"

Olivia refilled their glasses, polishing off the bottle. "Cheers," she said, touching her glass to Ed's.

"Cheers."

Noah completed his puzzle, fiddled with his cars for a few minutes, took another lap with the kite, and then brought one of his books to Olivia. He curled beside her as she read. Ed propped himself against their two bags and Olivia nestled beside him. After the story, to Ed's dismay, she speculated that it was probably time to leave. The temperature was dropping, and they'd left their outerwear at the hotel. Olivia started collecting the remnants of their meal and Noah's toys, and then tugged on the blanket, wanting Ed to get up. Noah was attempting somersaults in the grass.

He stopped her, for he had not yet done what he needed to do today. Enough with the innuendo and flirting. It was time to get serious.

"Hey," he tugged at her jacket, "before we go…I don't know if we'll get back to this spot again, so there's one more thing I wanted to do."

Olivia surveyed the area and shrugged. There were no glaringly obvious landmarks they'd missed in the neighborhood, and they had been there several times. However, she didn't doubt Ed. He'd thoroughly studied travel guides and websites in preparation for the trip, so if he said there was something else, well, there was something else.

She plopped down beside him and curiously studied his face.

 _Damn_. Wasn't she supposed to be _standing?_ Andhe was supposed to be on bended knee?

No matter. This was good—Olivia sitting next to him. He leaned towards her casually, resting on one elbow. He noticed her expression change from curiosity to the face she made when she was in a really romantic mood.

 _Perfect. Very good. She thinks I just want a kiss or something_.

"You know," he began, "I've wanted to be in your life, your real life, for a long time Liv."

"I know."

He was getting nervous now and tried to steady his trembling voice, "Even when, even when I was at my worst…I hoped something would change, even a little, so that we could at least be friends."

She opened her mouth to say something but then thought better of it. This was not simply another round of Parisian sweet talk.

"I don't know how I deserve it, but I got a best friend and _more_. All I want to do is make you and Noah happy and take care of you. This good thing we have going? I don't want it to just be a _thing_ anymore." He rose to his knees and called Noah over. He sat next to his mother and observed intently as Ed pulled the ring out of his pocket and held it at the tip of his finger with the princess-cut diamond facing his palm. He stared straight into Olivia's eyes.

She bit her bottom lip with anticipation, but she could not stop the corners of her mouth from forming a hint of a smile.

He turned the ring over and held it with his thumb and forefinger.

"I want you and Noah in my life more than I've ever wanted anything."

Olivia still bit the lip, but she broke into one of her rare grins as Ed concluded.

"So…Olivia Margaret Benson, will you marry me?"

Despite the hints and the insinuation of the past few days, Olivia blinked and shock blanketed her face. It was finally happening to her. Her previous romances always fizzled out or came crashing down. She'd avoided fantasizing about proposals because she never felt confident in the staying power of any previous match. Even when she and Brian were living together, she had the sense, from the beginning, that something was off—like they were together because neither one of them had the energy nor the will to pursue something new.

Olivia never realized how unbalanced her relationships were until Ed came along. With him she could maintain her identity and her steely resilience yet simultaneously allow Ed to take care of her. Once she met someone whose strength surpassed hers and she realized she could show her vulnerabilities and insecurities to someone other than Lindstrom and still be loved unconditionally, she was hooked.

She realized she was taking an inordinate amount of time to respond and the boyish smirk on Ed's face was starting to fade into doubt.

Olivia smiled broadly, "Yes," she answered confidently, "Yes, I will marry you."

Noah's eyes fixated on the ring as Ed slipped it on her finger. Olivia interlaced their fingers and kissed him for longer than he'd expected considering the almost-three-year-old was now standing and almost flush with their faces.

"You're shaking," Olivia remarked.

He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled shyly, "Yeah."

She kissed him again, trying to help him relax.

"You said yes," he said disbelievingly.

"I did." Someday she would ask him why he thought she would say no, but now was not the time.

"That's a relief." Ed said it so casually and with such genuine gratitude he couldn't help but laugh at himself.

Olivia cocked her eyebrow and kissed him yet again, "Feel better?"

"Like a weight has been lifted. I love you."

"I love you, Ed Tucker."

"And," Tucker reached for Noah and held him above his head before bringing him in for a hug and a kiss, "I love you, Noah."

They huddled together in silence for a few minutes, staring at the tower and absorbing the gravity of their new reality until something clicked with Olivia and she gasped.

"What?" Ed asked, alarmed.

"Today. It's May twentieth. Did you know?"

 _Know what?_ Ed furrowed his brow trying to figure out what she meant.

"A year ago today…Noah's adoption was finalized."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"I didn't know," Ed said, kind of wishing he had known, " _Unbelievable_."

"Some things," Olivia murmured, "Some things just…work out perfectly."

"Yeah," Ed replied softly as he pulled Olivia and Noah even closer. Noah giggled and tried to put his little arms around both of them. "They sure do."

….

The airplane made its final descent into JFK late in the afternoon. Olivia cradled a sleeping Noah and wore a serene expression as she gazed out at the New York skyline.

Ed stroked her arm. "Happy?"

She kept her eyes glued to the view at first. "I am," she cooed, sounding fulfilled and genuinely content. Facing him, she added, "I feel so… _good_."

He twirled her ring and smiled. "Me too."

"So…new job at the beginning of the week."

"Yeah." Ed thought about the desk he'd already cleared at IAB. He wouldn't miss it. "You ready to go back?"

Olivia was surprised she was going to say what she was about to say, "Actually, I am. I didn't think…after everything…I would ever be ready, but I feel different. In control. Recharged."

"So Paris worked," he concluded.

"It _more_ than worked."

Ed switched gears, his face hardened a bit with seriousness, but affection still dripped from his words, "Liv, I'm glad you're ready to go back. But I just want…or…I guess I don't want you to stop trusting your instincts. They're what make you a good cop. Don't fall into a trap of constantly second-guessing yourself."

Olivia swallowed, absorbing the advice. He was right, and he had been right at the hospital when he told her there were a hundred ways the hostage situation at the Munson house could have gone. Only now, she decided to listen. "I won't," she assured him in a voice barely above a whisper.

He raised her chin and met her eyes, "The Benson I know is decisive, smart, sure of herself…" He touched the ring again, "it's titanium, strong as steel, perfect for you." He kissed her hand, "but, remember, you don't have to be the _Lieutenant_ all the time anymore."

"I think I can get used to that."

He kissed her forehead, "I hope so," his voice turned jaunty, "because I would hate to have to _order_ you to relax and enjoy life."

Through a laugh she replied, "Ok, _Captain_. I may need a reminder every now and then, though."

"No problem."

They shared a longer kiss, breaking apart only seconds before the wheels hit the tarmac. Noah, jostled awake, fussed briefly, but got his bearings and calmed down, stretched, and asked where they were.

"We're back home, bud," Ed answered.

"I go to day care tomorrow?"

Olivia ran her fingers through his hair, "No, sweet boy, you'll be with us tomorrow. You'll go to day care in a couple days."

Noah looked up at Ed, "You bring the kite?"

"Sure did. And everything else."

Ed and Olivia laughed, both slightly embarrassed at the excessive souvenir hoard they'd purchased for Noah.

The flight attendant gave passengers the all-clear to disembark. Ed and Olivia gathered their carry-on items, Noah charmed the typically austere customs agents, and their suitcases were already rotating on the carousel when they arrived at baggage claim.

"Do we need a cart?" Olivia asked.

Ed screwed up his face, "Nah, I got it. Let's go, the taxi stand's just out there."

Ed Tucker deftly shouldered both backpacks, grabbed the handles of their two large suitcases, and led his family out of the airport and into their new life.

…..

 _Whew! That was fun! Hope you enjoyed the trilogy! Now on to other things….perhaps some darkness?_

 _#Tuckson_


End file.
